surf yoga holiday
Cabarete, Dominican Republic
Surf Together, Relax Together

A family surf camp in the Dominican Republic where parents and teenagers surf, explore and unwind together.

No cooking, no driving, no worrying about equipment.

From the guidebook

Think of Swell as the anti-surf camp.

There’s plenty of surfing, of course, but the similarities to other surf camps end there. For starters, the rooms are stylish — more boutique surf retreat than reggae-loving surfer digs. Then there are the legendary breakfasts: omelets, pancakes and crepes, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and fruit bowls.

Structured surf lessons take place each morning — an instructor alongside you and the head surf coach watching from shallow water, ready to offer learn-to-surf tips between riding waves. If you are serious about learning to surf, then Swell should be on top of your destination list. Highly recommended!

Frommer’s Travel Guides Guidebook review
01Fun for the whole family
Dominican Republic

One holiday that works for everyone

good waves
Sleep Swell

Our family surf camp in Cabarete is built so parents and their teenagers get a real holiday together. We teach kids from age 13, so mum and dad and the older kids can share the same surf lessons, the same beach and the same adventures. Mum doesn’t have to cook. Dad doesn’t have to drive or wrestle with surf equipment on a roof rack. Everything is arranged.

Days mix surfing with day trips, culture and the other water sports Cabarete is known for. You learn, you explore, and in the evening someone else makes dinner. Swell has run as a small surf and watersports retreat here since 2009.

The best window for families is the summer holidays — July and August — when the waves are small and gentle and progress comes fast.

13+
Minimum age for kids
Jul–Aug
Best time for families
2009
Welcoming guests since
Gentle
Summer waves for learning

What makes a family surf holiday work here

The details that matter most when you book for the whole family, straight from our own experience.

13
Youngest age we teach
July & August
Ideal months to visit as a family
Small & gentle
Summer waves for quick progress
Surf lessons for kids and parents

Learning to surf together

We teach kids from as young as 13, which means the whole family can learn side by side rather than splitting up. Parents and teenagers share the same coaching, the same beach and the same small waves — and everyone gets to compare notes over dinner.

Summer is the sweet spot. In July and August the waves are small and gentle, exactly the kind of conditions that make learning quick and confidence easy to build. New surfers often stand up in their first days.

  • Boards and gear are all provided — no roof racks, no rentals, no hassle
  • Coaching pitched to real beginners of any age
  • See how a typical week at Swell unfolds

More than surfing

Cabarete is one of the best places in the Caribbean to mix sports. Alongside surfing, families can try the other water sports the town is famous for, then break up the week with day trips into the mountains, rivers and waterfalls nearby.

The idea is simple: adventure trips mixed with local culture, so nobody gets bored and everyone comes home with a story. Browse our day trips and see why Cabarete suits active families.

A family walking a beach path in Cabarete with surfboards, palm trees behind
No cooking, no driving

The holiday parents actually get

The point of a family surf vacation should be that the adults get a break too. Here, meals are taken care of, transfers and trips are arranged, and the surf equipment is waiting for you at the beach. Mum steps away from the kitchen. Dad steps away from the wheel and the logistics.

What’s left is time together in the water and time to properly relax. If you want the fine print on rooms, meals and what’s included, our pricing page lays it out plainly.

02The surf

Ideal conditions
to learn or to progress your surfing

Surfing Surfing the warm water in Cabarete
Progress your surfing
Warm water · Fun waves

Surf lessons

We’ve been teaching surfing since 2009, and in that time over 9,000 guests have learned to surf with us. Our structured method is built to get you standing on the surfboard and progress in a way that’s safe, efficient, and most of all, enjoyable.

We coach you at your pace so you’ll always know what you’re working on and why it matters for your next step. You won’t get moved on too quickly, or be left behind. Our surf coaches work in small groups and adjust to how fast each person picks things up.

Whether you’ve never stood on a surfboard or you’re already surfing a bit and want to progress, we have a coach for you.

  • Consistent waves
  • Waves for different levels
  • Quality equipment
  • Warm water
  • 2 Sessions per day
  • Small groups
  • Experienced instructors
  • Lessons in english
  • Year round surf season
  • Since 2009
Surfing
Season Year-round
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Water & air No wetsuit
Water 27°C · 81°F
Air 28°C · 82°F
Ages Mostly 30 to 65
20 30 40 50 60 70
Solo travelers Majority
65% Most guests arrive on their own — and leave with new friends
As seen in
03The stay

Sleep (s)well.

A purpose-built surf retreat: a place to sleep in comfort, meet fellow travellers, chill between sessions and eat delicious, home-cooked meals.

The rooms
The rooms
The freshwater pool
The freshwater pool
Relaxing spaces
Relaxing spaces
The communal hub & garden
The communal hub & garden
Calm palette, generous beds
Calm palette, generous beds
Fresh, delicious food
Fresh, delicious food

In the air-conditioned private rooms, you will have a California king-sized bed (2mx2m), or you can elect to have twin beds if you are bringing someone along. Each room has its own ensuite shower/WC, a ceiling fan and crisp 100% cotton sheets.  After an action-packed day in or on the water, you can sleep as well as you should. We have kept the palette calm and relaxing.

At the centre of our surf retreat is the communal hub — an open living room with free WiFi and lots of space to lounge around.  There’s a huge dining table where guests eat together.  You’ll always find time to enjoy a game of pool with fellow guests, or relax completely on the sofas and chairs.

Outside, a freshwater pool sits in a beautiful, palm-shaded garden, with ample loungers for the down time between sessions.

  • Ensuite · AC · ceiling fan
  • 100% cotton sheets
  • Fresh breakfast & dinner
  • Restaurants minutes away
  • Communal area with WIFI
  • 24/7 staff onsite
  • Fresh water pool
  • Set in tropical garden
  • Walk to restaurants & shops
  • No need for a car
ACCOMMODATION INFO
The pool
The pool
Slow hours
Slow hours
The rooms
The rooms
The communal hub
The communal hub
Five minutes away
Five minutes away
04Getting here

Easy & hassle free
3 Different international airports

Puerto Plata (POP) has nonstop flights from Miami, New York, Boston and Toronto. From the terminal Swell is just a twenty-five minute drive down the coast road — and our driver will be waiting for you at arrivals.

Direct gateway Airport code Airport to Swell Status
Puerto Plata POP 25 minutes Pick-up included
Santiago STI 1 h 20 minutes Pick-up optional
Santo Domingo SDQ 3 h 35 minutes Pick-up optional

Puerto Plata (POP) is the closest airport to us but it isn’t the only one. Two more international airports sit within an easy drive: Santiago (STI) is about an hour and a half away, and Santo Domingo (SDQ) around three and a half — both worth a look if the fare or the timing happens to work better for you on the day you want to travel.

Whichever you choose, we’ll help you line up the transfer so the final leg is sorted before you touch down. There’s a full breakdown of routes, drive times and transfer costs/options on the Getting here page.

Final leg · POP → Swell 25 minutes by private transfer
GETTING HERE & OUR LOCATION
06Good to know

Questions,
answered.

Anything we’ve missed? Write to us — Swell's owner, Clare, will get back to you within a day.

We teach kids from as young as 13. That age minimum means teenagers and parents can share the same lessons and surf together, rather than being split into separate groups.

The summer holidays — July and August — are ideal. The waves in those months are small and gentle, which are perfect conditions for learning to surf and making quick progress. It also lines up neatly with school breaks.

Yes. Because we teach from age 13, the family learns side by side on the same beach with the same coaching. Everyone starts as a beginner together and progresses at their own pace.

Plenty. Cabarete is known for a range of water sports, and we mix surf sessions with day trips that combine adventure and local culture — mountains, rivers and waterfalls are all within reach.

No. Boards and gear are provided, so there’s no renting, no roof racks and no worrying about hauling equipment around. It’s all ready at the beach.

Swell is normally an adults-only retreat. For families, the difference is that we welcome teenagers from age 13 so parents and older kids can share the holiday. If you’re travelling without kids, the adult camp is your page.

From our guests

Don’t take our word for it.
Take theirs

4.9 300+ Reviews
Megan S
Age
43
From
San Diego
Level
Beginner
Travelled
Travelled solo
If I could give Swell 10 stars I would!! My partner and I visited Swell at the end of March 2026. We had an absolutely amazing trip. The rooms are clean and spaceship. The A/C works great and had warm water to shower. The WiFi is spotty in the upstairs rooms but works perfectly in the downstairs communal room. The staff is above & beyond!! The meals were some of the best I’ve had. The surf instructors are phenomenal.. they work with your experience and levels of surfing and join you for breakfast & dinner nights. The yoga is great mostly long holds and stretches which are great after 2 sessions of surfing. Haudy is the best. She runs the place and without her Swell wouldn’t be Swell. I highly recommend doing the canyon tour with Helmut. And last but not least the people that I stayed there with honestly became my family for the week. I honestly want to come back!
Tripadvisor April 2026
Aerial view of the cove at Swell, Cabarete
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POP
25 Min
SWELL
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Watersport paradise

Tell us your dates, how many people you are thinking about coming with, and we’ll send you a custom price and availability quote; almost instantly. Hasta pronto, see you soon.

Any day Arrival
Limited Availability
300+ REVIEWS
5 nights Minimum stay
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